Fire ruled accidental, investigators say

Published: Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 07:06 PM.

GRAHAM — A fire that destroyed a Graham restaurant Wednesday morning was ruled an accident on Thursday.

The Alamance County Fire Investigative Task force, which includes members of the county Fire Marshal’s Office, Graham fire and police departments and the State Bureau of Investigation, concluded Thursday morning that Carver’s on Elm, 106 W. Elm St., caught fire around 5 a.m. by an undetermined cause, said Graham Fire Chief John Andrews.

“It was accidental, and undetermined as far as the source of ignition,” Andrews said. “We feel the fire definitely started in the kitchen area, but they have not pinpointed any kind of source of ignition or anything like that.”

Andrews said the task force’s investigation, which began Wednesday afternoon, had concluded.

The building was a total loss, Andrews said, though information on the cost of damage to its contents was unavailable Thursday. Alamance County tax records show Stephen C. Long and James W. Pope purchased the building in October 1993 — the year restaurant owner Ricky Carver opened Carver’s on Elm — and it has a value of $163,882.

GRAHAM — A fire that destroyed a Graham restaurant Wednesday morning was ruled an accident on Thursday.

The Alamance County Fire Investigative Task force, which includes members of the county Fire Marshal’s Office, Graham fire and police departments and the State Bureau of Investigation, concluded Thursday morning that Carver’s on Elm, 106 W. Elm St., caught fire around 5 a.m. by an undetermined cause, said Graham Fire Chief John Andrews.

“It was accidental, and undetermined as far as the source of ignition,” Andrews said. “We feel the fire definitely started in the kitchen area, but they have not pinpointed any kind of source of ignition or anything like that.”

Andrews said the task force’s investigation, which began Wednesday afternoon, had concluded.

The building was a total loss, Andrews said, though information on the cost of damage to its contents was unavailable Thursday. Alamance County tax records show Stephen C. Long and James W. Pope purchased the building in October 1993 — the year restaurant owner Ricky Carver opened Carver’s on Elm — and it has a value of $163,882.

REGULARS AT the restaurant say the fire resulted in the loss of a popular Graham dining spot they’ve frequented for two decades.

Belinda Lloyd, who works in the probation/parole office housed in the Alamance County Criminal Courts building, said she and her family and co-workers have eaten at Carver’s for the past 20 years, since the restaurant opened.

“It’ll be missed,” Lloyd said. “It was an easy walking distance from all the courthouses.”

She said the restaurant served “down-home good eating,” and her parents ate there almost every Sunday.

Don Wilson, a Graham native, said he also has eaten at Carver’s since it opened — and even before that, when it was Chadwick’s under a different owner.

Wilson said he went to the restaurant about twice a week, often by himself, and said the steakburger was among his favorite entrees.

“I’ll miss that,” he said.

Don Kernodle, a court security officer, described Ricky Carver as “a really good, honest guy.” He said the restaurant, to which he went about three times a week, just began opening for lunch on Saturdays at the beginning of January.

“There were people who ate there practically every day,” Kernodle said.

Restaurant patron and Graham resident Tommy Bruton said he doesn’t know Carver very well, but that he wanted to start a fund to help raise money for his and his employees’ expenses from the restaurant being closed.

“Ricky has been in this town a long time and people love him to death,” Bruton said. “I think people in the community need to come forward and help him out.”

Donations can be made to the Carver’s on Elm Community Support Fund in person or mailed to the BB&T on South Main Street in Graham.

“He worked hard every single day, and it’s just devastating,” Bruton said. “It could happen to anybody, especially in those old buildings.”

THE FIRE WAScontained to Carver’s, though buildings on each side received smoke damage, according to Graham mayor and volunteer firefighter Jerry Peterman. Julian M. Doby Attorneys at Law and a back portion of Graham Furniture Mart were affected by smoke.

Firefighters from five departments got the fire under control by 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Peterman said, though fire personnel remained at the scene throughout the day to keep water on hotspots in the building.

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Want to help?

A support fund has been established to help Carver’s on Elm.

Donations can be made to the Carver’s on Elm Community Support Fund in person at the teller line of BB&T, 220 S. Main St., Graham, or mailed to: